Hair parting device



April 5, 1939. w. D. WILLIAMSON 2,155,917

HAIR PARTING DEVICE Filed Dec. 8, 1937 Patented Apr. 25, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 8 Claims.

This invention relates to toilet articles and more particularly to a device for parting the hair.

The object of the invention is to provide a comparatively simple and inexpensive device of the character described particularly adapted for use by hair dressers, beauticians and others to facilitate forming a straight even part in the hair.

A further object of the invention is to provide a hair-parting device which may be conveniently supported on the forefinger of either hand and which need not be removed from the finger while performing other duties.

A further object is to provide a hair-parting device comprising a body portion having one end thereof provided with a finger-receiving socket and its other end formed with spaced tines defining pointed terminals adapted to successively engage the scalp as the device is passed through the hair, the intermingled hairs being received between and guided by the tines during the hairparting operation.

A still further object of the invention is generally to improve this class of devices so as to increase their utility, durability and efiiciency.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification and in which similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawing:

Figure l is a perspective view of a hair-parting device constructed in accordance with the present invention showing the manner of supporting the same on the forefinger of the user,

Figure 2 is a front elevation,

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 3--3 of Figure 2, and

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 4-4' of Figure 3.

The improved hair-parting device forming the subject-matter of the present invention comprises an elongated substantially wedge-shaped body portion 5 formed of wood, metal, Celluloid or other suitable material. The large end of the body portion is hollowed. out to form an internal chamber 6 having an opening I communicating therewith near the closed end 8 of the body portion, said opening 1 being adapted to receive the forefinger of the user, as best shown in Figure l of the drawing. A small opening 9 is preferably formed in one side of the body portion and communicates with the chamber 6 so as to permit the circulation of air through said chamber and thus tend to ventilate the same and prevent undue perspiration of the finger tip when inserted in the chamber. The small or tapered end of the body portion is formed with a slot or opening I0 defining spaced tines ll having pointed terminals l2 adapted to selectively engage the scalp when the device is positioned thereon and passed through the hair in the act of form- 5 ing a part. The confronting faces of r the tines II are inclined or beveled at l3 so as to assist in guiding the hairs within the slot l0 and the opposite faces of the body portion are inclined in the direction of the slot l0 so as to present smooth beveled surfaces [4 for engagement with the hair. One of the side faces of the body portion, preferably that side having the finger-receiving opening 1 formed therein, is provided with longitudinal grooves or channels l5 extending from a point adjacent the opening 1 and intersecting the terminals I2 of the tines so as to present a roughened contact surface for the thumb and thus assist in preventing slipping of the device when in use.

In operation, the device is supported between the thumb and third finger of the hand with the forefinger inserted within the opening 1 and with the fourth finger bearing against the third finger and the little finger resting onthe scalp. When the device is supported in this manner, the tines II will be disposed one immediately above the other and with the terminal I2 of the lowermost tine bearing against the scalp where the part is to be formed. The device is then drawn in a straight line through the hair at the desired line of cleavage which causes the intermingled hairs separated by the lower tine to be directed Over the beveled edges l3 of said lower tine into the slot I0 and in contact with the beveled edges of the upper tine for the full length of said tines, the separated hairs being subsequently combed to either side of the part thus formed so that said part will be straight and even. When used by a left-hand person, the device is supported on the forefinger of the left hand with the other tine engaging the scalp and the operation just mentioned repeated.

It will here be noted that, inasmuch as the device is supported on the forefinger, the remaining fingers of the hand are free so that the operator can perform other duties without the necessity of removing the device. The device is simple in construction, reversible in operation and 'can be used by hair dressers and other persons for forming a straight part in the hair with better results than can be obtained with an ordinary comb.

It will, of course, be understood that the devices may be made in diiferent sizes and shapes and formed of any suitable material without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A device of the class described comprising a hollow body portion having an interior chamber and provided at one end thereof with a fingerreceiving opening communicating with said chamber and its other end with spaced hair-engaging tines.

2. A device of the class described comprising a hollow substantially Wedge-shaped body portion having one end thereof formed with an interior chamber having a finger-receiving opening communicating therewith through one side' of said body portion and its other end provided with spaced hair-engaging tines terminating in scalpengaging members.

3. A device of the class described comprising a hollow substantially wedge-shaped elongated body portion having one end thereof closed and its other end provided with ahair-receiving slot defining spaced tines terminating in scalp-engaging points, there being an interior chamber formed in said body portion and a finger-receiving, opening in one side of said body portion adjacent the closed end thereof and communicating with said chamber.

4. A device of the class described comprising a hollow body portion having one end thereof slotted to form spaced hair-engaging tines and its other end provided with an interior chamber opening through one side of the body portion to permit the insertion of the forefinger of a hand, there being an aperture formed in the other side of the body portion adjacent the tines and communicating with the chamber to permit the free circulation of air therethrough.

5. A device of the class described comprising a substantially wedge-shaped body portion having its large end formed with a finger-receiving opening and its small end slotted to form spaced hairengaging tines, the confronting faces of which converge in the direction of said body portion.

6. A device of the class described comprising a body portion having one end thereof provided with a finger-receiving opening and its other end provided with a longitudinal slot defining spaced hair-engaging tines, the confronting faces of which are inclined in the direction of said slot, there being a longitudinal channel formed in one face of each tine and extending from a point adjacent the finger-receiving opening to the terminals of the tines.

7. A device for parting the hair comprising a reversible body portion having one end thereof formed with a finger-receiving opening extending through one side of said body portion adjacent said end and its other end provided with a longitudinally disposed slot defining spaced hair-engaging tines, the end of one of which is adapted to bear against the scalp as the device is passed through the hair, the other tine being adapted to confine the separated hair within the slot during the parting operation.

8. A device for parting the hair comprising an elongated'body portion having one end thereof provided with a finger-receiving opening and its other end formed with a longitudinally disposed slot defining spaced tapered hair-engaging tines terminating in points adapted to selectively bear against the scalp, the inner faces of the tines being beveled and the opposite faces of the body portion inclined in the direction of said slot whereby when the device is passed through the hair the intermingled hairs will pass over one of the tines and beneath the other tine to confine the intermingled hairs within the slot.

WINNIE D. WILLIAMSON. 

